The next few days are going to be in the eighties with nighttime temps on the warmish side, so we may bite the bullet and put in the A/C units today. We both did a lot of work outside yesterday and I plan on doing some more today, but I also woke up at 4:15 because it was too warm in our bedroom, so air conditioning is a must.

It’s beautiful around here, I have to say. Lush green, everything growing by leaps and bounds, and the catalpa is finally starting to leaf out.

As I headed toward the finish line yesterday, I munched on potato chips and drank lots of water. At this point, I felt I would never conquer this sucker, but of course, I reached a point where everything fell into place rather easily and here is the finished puzzle:

No missing pieces, even though I always insist something is missing. It’s really lovely, this puzzle. It’s part of the Museum Collection by Clementoni, a manufacturer in Italy. I love this kind of puzzle because I love art, of course, but also because I learn so much about the brush strokes and style and observe so much more of the detail than I would if I was looking at it in a museum. And my goodness, do I love Van Gogh.

I have another one by the artist Alphonse Mucha that I’m going to start later today. It’s in the Art Nouveau style and it’s gorgeous.

Still reading A Room of One’s Own  by Virginia Woolf. Extraordinary. I read every day but have less time for it because I work outdoors so much.

Okay. Have to run and get started on my chores.

Before I close, Betsy, a reader of this blog, lost her brother to the coronavirus a couple of days ago. She is, understandably, heartbroken. She shared this news in the comments on yesterday’s post. Send her some light and love and prayers.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

We had the best day yesterday. It rained all day long, but it was a gentle rain. The windows were open, the sound of the rain was lovely, I worked on my puzzle – and got a lot of it done – and – oh yes, I forgot – the haircuts.

Don drove over to Rick and Doug’s to pick up the necessary equipment. He already knew all the information as to the guard settings. He’s an actor. Actors get haircuts, sometimes on set, sometimes for a play, sometimes on the road. He wrote down those settings a long time ago and carried them in his wallet because he knew he’d need them.

When he came back we watched a video that was extremely helpful, dragged a stool into the bathroom, and I started cutting his hair. I was a bit hesitant at first, but I quickly decided to just go for it. Don’s hair, I discovered, grows in several different directions, which makes the process more complicated. It’s not perfect by any means. There’s one tiny bare batch by his ear, for example, but all in all, I was pleased and Don was even more pleased.

Before (you know Don just had to stage this photograph) –

And after:

A little ‘product’ doesn’t hurt, either.

He cut my hair, as well. It’s was just a bit uneven at the sides, but I tweaked it and it feels so much better! He took off at least four inches. It had become way too long. Thank you, husband!

We were quite proud of ourselves! There will be no divorce court, it seems.

The puzzle:

I finished the dark buildings, much of the scene on the terrace, and some of the figures to the right. And I found three pieces that I was convinced were lost or not included. As in a lot of puzzles, especially this impressionist painting, the actual piece didn’t look like I had envisioned it. But when inserted, it made sense.

We had vowed to take it easy yesterday, but we ended up not taking it easy. So today, we are following through with that vow.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.